Drew McIntyre Is Starting to Cool Off

[Mitch Henessey]

The Wrestling Observer is reporting that original creative plans called for WWE Smackdown star Drew McIntyre to continue his undefeated streak all the way until he received a run with the World Title. However, it's now being reported that McIntyre has fallen out of favor with several WWE officials as he is said to be a high maintenance performer and he is not getting over as a heel the way WWE had initially hoped. As a result of this, the World Title run went to Jack Swagger instead of McIntyre.

I think the most surprising part of this piece of news is the part about Drew's planned world title run. I was sure he was going to win MITB at Wrestlemania because he was already riding a pretty strong push back then, but WWE officials soured on him, and decided to give his world title run to Jack Swagger. I don't know if McIntyre would've made a good world champion or not, but I think Swagger was a great choice for world champion.

This situation raises a couple of big questions:

Where does McIntyre go from here?

Will he fade away into obscurity?

Should he be pushed hard again?


I'll admit, at first, I didn't like McIntyre, but he grew on me after a while. As far as heels go, he's something fresh. He was on a role for a while, and he was publicly endorsed by Vince McMahon who said McIntyre would be a "future world champion". Plus, I remember reading a bunch of reports about how Triple H and HBK were also endorsing this guy, so that's why the news of WWE officials "souring" on McIntyre kind of surprises me.

I believe Drew will wonder around the mid card for a while, and there's a chance he could be put back into the Intercontinental championship picture some where down the line, but I think he's a long way away from wearing the World Heavyweight Championship......a long way.

McIntyre might not fade away into obscurity, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did happen. After Drew was kayfabe fired, he returned, and the IC title was returned to him because of a letter wrote by Vince McMahon. He held on to the title for a little while longer, and then he lost it back to Kofi at the Over The Limit ppv. I thought Kofi had no chance of winning that match, because it was obvious, Drew seemed to be the "chosen one". But he lost the title back so quickly, and now we all know why. I think Drew will have some decent mid card feuds over the next couple of months. Who knows, maybe he'll finish off Matt Hardy?

If Drew is pushed hard again, then I don't think it will happen soon. I expect Kofi to hold on to the IC title for a while, and Dolph Ziggler seems like he may be headed for a feud with Christian, so he could be a future candidate for the IC title picture. Also, there's now way I can see him involved in the world heavyweight title picture. The Undertaker, Big Show, and Swagger will most likely dominant the world title picture for a while.

 

[Super Geng Boy]

This does suck actually. He is a very good wrestler and could actually be a believable world champion. I am not going to lie, I am from Scotland. And I always use Drew as an example of a great athlete in our country that is contemporary, because it is true. I hope he picks up his momentum at some point or another, I will answer the original posters questions now.

Where does McIntyre go from here?

Will he fade away into obscurity?

Should he be pushed hard again?

I reckon that Drew will just go into a feud with Kofi for the Intercontinental Championship. Maybe the title could benefit from two of the hottest young prospects in wrestling fighting over it, infarct it will. I feel that Drew will take the title back at some point, I don't know, maybe July or at Sumerslam, and that could bring back some of his well built up momentum.

I do not think he will fade into obscurity. He is too talented for that. If he still has a little backing then all he will have to do is improve on what he is told. As long as he still has a position on the card then he can do anything, I mean was Swagger not jobbing a couple of mounts back? I think he will be just fine as long as he is on the card consistently.

I think he should be pushed hard again, but not now. I feel that this could end up being a blessing in disguise for Drew because it will show him that not everything can be handed to you on a silver platter, I feel that now he will learn to pay his dues before getting the big prize and then he will be pushed hard again. I feel he will still be a future world champion and multiple times at that, and I will give him 2 more years.

Like I said, Drew has nothing to worry about. He will still be a multiple time champ and hey, him fucking up may just have made Jack Swagger a career, however, i think this could make a great what if thread for many reasons.

 

[dotty_84]

I'm from Scotland to Geng and it's nice to see an actual Scottish guy in WWE i heard HHH has gone off him maybe he's acting to big for his boots, i still think he needs a few more matches like real good ones. He's got potential, the look so i hope all goes well.

 

[The Viper Orton]

Sorry to say guys, but for me I cant see how he was chosen over Desmond Wolfe. Yes, he is good but he needs a bit of repacking. His theme song is great, when you listen to it you feel a great wrestler will approach the ring but... Drew McIntyre. First of all, he needs to increase his work rate in the gym, he needs more muscles to be future champion (look at how cena got muscular over the years). Next, he needs to wear something else when he's coming to the ring. His mic skills are good for now and his wrestling skills need a few more grapple moves. But still comeon I see Wade Barrets future better than his. But that is my opinion though

 

[Trance Metaphor]

Drew McIntyre is good. He's got the mic skills and he can get it done in the ring. On top of that, he has a good finishing move, albeit seen before numerous times by others such as Mick Foley. I just feel that he should stick around on the high mid-card level capturing several big victories over big names first. He needs more time to develop into a better character. His look when he walks down the ring isn't anything special 'cause he's missing any kind of real flare that distinctly separates him from everyone else. The entrance theme/video greatly supports him, but he should perhaps wear a robe to the ring with a valet and something that interrelates with his theme. I'm also not a fan of the WWE pushing young guys so soon. Whatever happened to 'earning' your way to the top? World titles are far too easy to win now and it cheapens them. Drew should complete two major feuds before getting a shot at the World title...but he has time. It's not a big deal that he hasn't gotten a World title yet. Look at Dolph Ziggler, a very talented wrestler that can't even win the Intercontinental title. Drew has hope.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Sorry to say guys, but for me I cant see how he was chosen over Desmond Wolfe.

Say what?

I'm afraid to say - no, I'm genuinely afraid that NorCal will come along and read this - that I just don't get what's so great about McIntyre. It doesn't susprise me that his momentum has run out. The only thing he has going for him, that sets him apart is that Vince 'chose' him to be world champion. I'm guessing the audience largely agrees with my sentiments of, "Well, Vince isn't as smart as I thought he was."

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

I like McIntyre because of his in-ring talent and of course, coming from Scotland doesn't hinder him any further. I was pretty certain they planned to put the big gold belt on him at some point but I had no idea it was going to be so quick especially with him still being the IC Champion (at the time).

Where does McIntyre go from here?

He remains in the midcard where he belongs. He shouldn't be going into the main event for another year, or at least until his mic skills improve. Without those, he probably won't go very far.

Will he fade away into obscurity?

No. At least not yet. He's still a good in-ring competitor and Vince still likes him, he just isn't the flavour of the month anymore. He also still draws heat. The reaction he got on SD this week when he revealed Matt hardy was suspended was very good. He still attracts heat and that alone should keep him where he is for a good while.

Should he be pushed hard again?

At some point, yes. He's just lost the IC title so let's see where he goes from here. As I said above, he still draws heat and is a good in-ring competitor. There's room to improve (especially with those mic skills) but he still has a ton of potential.

 

[Ferbian]

Where does McIntyre go from here?

I'm guessing he'll remain on the mid-card, feuding with Kofi Kingston most likely, and he will eventually gain some significance again, but I ultimately see him actually building himself first before being given any championship reigns again.

Will he fade away into obscurity?

Absolutely not, he is after all still played as the "chosen one" which he wouldn't be doing if he was bound to be fading away sooner or later, I don't see that to say the least.

Should he be pushed hard again?

No, I don't think so, he will eventually work his way through the roster, up the ranks, and ultimately regain his seat at the top of the mid-card and then afterwards regain his seat at the world championship, it will take a while, but it wull happen eventually, there's no denying that.

 

[Big Sexy]

I've never liked McIntyre. His mic work is generic and boring, in the ring he's solid but nothing spectacular, and he has zero charisma. He doesn't really generate as much heat as I've seen other mid to upper mid card heels draw so I've just never taken a liking to him. Right now he needs to stay in the mid card and hopefully improve.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

Yeh, i remember reading that...its the same thing that happened to dolph ziggler but it was the IC title..i think its kinda shit they did that..but i have to say, im enjoying swagger as world champion...i mean imagine it right nowm drew as world champion..i wudnt like that...his image is decent...his in ring work is good..but i think he is like a zombie type of character..he's kinda slow...

im glad they dropd the plans and went with swagger...

 

[The Doctor]

I don't like Drew McIntyre very much. I don't hate him, I don't like him, and I feel nothing towards him as a heel. Every time I see him on screen I am swept with a wave of complete indifference. He's nothing special on the mic, boring in the ring (though that may be a brilliant way for creative to get him over as a heel), and I just don't feel anything for him. It wasn't always this way, as I enjoyed him when he was trying to get into MITB, but after that he hasn't been able to keep my interest. The "chosen one" story had major potential but it lost steam and didn't go far enough in establishing him as THE undeserving star.

Unless he stops being a headcase, gets better at drawing heat, and Creative makes the Chosen One storyline g to the extreme, I see nothing in his future. At least, nothing as a future main eventer.

 

[Jonnie Walker]

Honestly, I see nothing special about McIntyre. He has ZERO charisma, he is bland in the ring because, let's face it, he pretty much just punches and kicks. Alright, I'll put it this way: Cena is a face, a supermega babyface, but yet he gets more heat than McIntyre has ever gotten. No one cares about McIntyre, except for people from Scotland. Yeah, he has a bright future, but he's shown me nothing to earn it, and I think Santino deserves a World Title run before McIntyre, because at least Santino gets a reaction. WWE cooling off on McIntyre surprises me only because McIntyre is golden in the eyes of Vince, Trips, and HBK, or at least he was. But I am very happy they went with Swagger over McIntyre, because even though they both annoy the green shit out of me, at least Swagger can wrestle. McIntyre is better suited the way he was the first time around: Off television in 3 weeks.

 

[Daniel]

I like McIntyre. Not for his mic work (not great, but not bad) or his in-ring ability (pretty solid) but for his whole gimmick/demeanour. I see this whole 'chosen one' thing going on for quite a while.

I'm glad that Jack Swagger won the MITB match. It was a great shock and he has really started to look like a champion. If McIntyre won MITB and went on to win a world title I don't think it would have had the same impact. I see him being built to be a champion. His transition from mid-card to main event will be pretty much seamless, or at least it should be. He shouldn't win unexpectedly.

Will he fade away into obscurity?

Absolutely not. You don't hold the Intercontinental title for half a year and then fade away into obscurity. He'll have his feud with Matt Hardy and work his way up from there until he appears in the main event. McIntyre is going to be in the 'E' for a long time and a multiple world champion.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

I like McIntyre. Not for his mic work (not great, but not bad) or his in-ring ability (pretty solid) but for his whole gimmick/demeanour. I see this whole 'chosen one' thing going on for quite a while.

McIntyre does play "the chosen one" role pretty good. He does a good job at playing this cocky/spoiled wrestler. McIntyre's mic work isn't all that great, but I think he's a passable talker. The feud with Hardy could help him, because despite the hatred a lot of the IWC has for Matt, he is liked by the WWE fans. He might not be as over as he was during the feud with Edge, but he's still some what popular. If WWE were to do something similar to Sheamus/Triple H at Extreme Rules, then it could help Drew gain more heat.

 

[JBK2008]

The guy needs to get of his high horse while Triple H is gone and have a chat with the Undertaker before he falls any faster than he is now. Drew has the potential to be a great champion one day and that initial push he got was tremendous and the heel heat he got was nice to see. He's still fresh and can rebound from this.

I see a feud with Matt Hardy, which should really go on for a month or two to get both guys over in some way. After that, putting Drew in the mix with Kofi, Christian, and Ziggler would be nice and have him face Rey, Punk or Kane to really get him back in the saddle. His screw up may have saved swagger, but I don't see Drew disappearing for good like other young prospects have.

 

[theundisputedY2D2]

No one cares about McIntyre, except for people from Scotland.

I'm Scottish and I couldn't give a flying Jap's eye about the guy. Ok, so it's kinda cool that a fella from my neck of the woods is in WWE, but because he's so generic and uninteresting I find myself not caring about him at all.

The thing is WWE just gave him the 'Chosen One' gimmick and the endorsement from Vince McMahon as a "future World champion" and expected that to get him over as a mega heel without any work on his character, moveset or mic skills. Granted, in time he may develop his all round game and move up to a main-event level but at the moment he should stay in the mid-card and work on becoming less bland and giving fans a reason to love him or hate him.

I don't think he'll fall away into complete obscurity but it won't do him any harm to feud with guys like Matt Hardy, Kofi Kingston etc. for the foreseeable future and steadily progress up the card.

 

[The Future of Wrestling]

The Choosen One gimmick is alright, but Drew needs that moment in his career that will make the wwe fans remember him. If the wwe brang back the KOTR then maybe that will get him over with fans.

 

[dotty_84]

He's not my favourite by any means but i've seen him in the UK under various promotions, he's got bags of talent though, his ability in the air for a big guy is awesome, WWE has limited his move set. I just wish Piper didn't have a kilt and this true Scotsman could have, hell they could give McIntyre a kilt and when Todd moans that Roddy had one Striker can profess that McIntyre is 100% Scottish and deserves to wear one, he should get better pants too those X ones look crap.

I can't see him going into Obscurity, he could work on his muscles but i think he looks fine, that roid look is ridiculous. He's a decent looking fella and woman seem to find him attractive so i can't see him fading away mid card for a while then build up to the top.

 

[Mustang Sally]

He's a decent looking fella and woman seem to find him attractive...

You've got that right. I think he's the best looking wrestler I've ever seen.....not that it means anything to you guys.

If Drew really is in dutch with management because of his attitude, remember.....attitudes can be changed. If he's been holding himself above the other performers and is disliked; that can change, too. It's up to him and if he doesn't do it, he'll have only himself to blame. All these people are on the road together and if someone isn't getting along with the others, it's bound to have a negative effect.

Meanwhile, he's got a great body for wrestling and he does the "obnoxious personality" better than most. He's not especially limber, yet he has a good set of wrestling moves and works hard at selling his opponents offense. Someday, he'll turn face and I think he'll be even better at that.

And that choirboy face......Mmmmmm!

 

[DarkHart1000]

Drew McIntyre has potential but when WWE pushes some people too fast it ruins there character. I am happy he is not world champ yet because he isn't ready but he should be sometime soon.

 

[Vanderhook]

I will always be biased towards Drew McIntyre because I marked out hardcore when he debuted by beating the crap out of R-Truth. I HATE R-Truth!

I love his accent, and he plays his "Chosen One" role awesomely. He's pretty decent on the mic and good in the ring. Oh and he has THE BEST theme in WWE right now. It dissapoints me that he isn't drawing enough heat because my friends and I always mark out for him.

How about this idea: Maybe Drew McIntyre should bring up his real life relationship with Tiffany in a kayfabe storyline. Have Tiffany remain face but still fall for Drew who remain heel as ever. Maybe try to do the whole douchebag gets a girl thats way too good for him, which fits into his spoiled character who gets things he doesn't deserve. I can see it now: Tiffany and Drew have a sort of loving hug after an argument while the camera zooms in on Drew's awesome smirk.

 

[klunderbunker]

This doesn't surprise me really. It's the WWE mentality anymore: people get a huge start, then cool off, then get another big push, then cool off again. McIntyre is going through his first cooling off period. No one gets the huge push anymore and it's a bad move but whatever. Drew will come back ina bit once everyone else catches up to him because we can't have someone get a huge push and therefore become a big star. He's cooling off a bit, but he'll be back.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

He doesn't get the heat they wanted him to because he's an Orton clone. Orton isn't retired or working for another company, so having a guy mimic the very gimmick he used not a year ago is as lazy as can be, despite the fact they're on two different shows. Everything from his slow-walk entrance to the way he squints his eyes angrily into the camera when he slow-speaks his promos about being better than everyone screams repetition in the sense that it's already been done very recently by Orton.

A cooling off period in this case is more like the resonating sounds of fans not caring anymore, which in his case is a good thing, because while he's not particularly bad at being the heel he's being right now, it's still a stolen angle that probably shouldn't have been used on him this quickly.

Ideally, I'd let him cool off plenty and give him mid-card work to keep him occupied right now and then assess the situation months from now again to see if there's a potential spot to try pushing him again. Just don't be surprised if it fails to get over again.